Tag Archives: San Francisco Chronicle

Dec. 15, 2019 Blumbers

December 15, 2019 dj

Teen Decade: Gig Economics

Most people can see growing inequality right in front of them. Everybody may have a job, or several jobs, but they are underpaid. The gig economy businesses that survive do so on the margins. AirBnB survives because people cannot afford a hotel room. Uber survives because people cannot afford a car. There are also very good reasons to regulate economic activity. There is a reason you want a licensed cab driver. There is a reason you want to stay at a licensed hotel. Insurance and inspections are good if there is an accident or fire. If your business model cannot afford theses precautions then you should work toward creating a society where you can.

Commentary

Nov. 10, 2015 H1B Workers Underpaid

November 10, 2015 dj

On Nov. 9, 2015 Wendy Lee of the San Francisco Chronicle wrote a story about H1B workers being underpaid. The US Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour division’s assistant district director Michael Eastwood revealed a federal judge ordered Scopus Consulting Group and Orian Engineers to pay $84,000 in back wages and $103,000 in fines. “In one case a worker earned $5,000 a month when the worker should have been paid $5,900 a month.” This is about an fifteen per cent cut in what are commonly already underpaid H1B positions. Many of the 85,000 workers are afraid to speak out. Apple, eBay, Cisco or other companies using Scopus or Orian have not responded to this article. Silicon Valley is an expensive place to live. Degreed professionals should be paid for their extraordinary skills no matter where they are from.

Books, Reviews

Jun. 23, 2012 San Francisco Chronicle

June 23, 2012 dj

On Jun. 23, 2012 the San Francisco Chronicle’s David Perlman wrote “Sea Level Rise May Hit Hard In State” about a National Resource Council report that the San Francisco Bay area will be at risk of more frequent and dangerous flooding. Sea levels that may rise by more than four and a half feet by 2100. An earthquake may raise it by another three feet. UC Santa Cruz oceanographer Gary Griggs said “This is physical science not political science.” Johns Hopkins Professor of Civil Engineering Robert A. Dalrymple talked about the increase in erosion and larger waves flooding urban areas.

Events, Reviews

Jan. 30, 2009 SDF Clean Energy Entrepreneur’s Conference

February 4, 2009 dj

On January 30, 2009 at Sun Microsystems in Santa Clara SDForum and FountainBlue hosted â€œState of the Clean Green Industryâ€. Continue reading Jan. 30, 2009 SDF Clean Energy Entrepreneur’s Conference →